A struggling single mum has told of her heartbreak in the lead-up to Christmas, as she skips meals and survives off her children's leftovers.
Mum-of-four Victoria Walker says she can't afford Christmas this year, even with the support from charities and rarely turning on her heating.
In heartbreaking scenes, her 11-year-old daughter even offered her own pocket money to cover essentials.
Victoria, from Bath in England, has been relying on cups of tea and coffee to fill up throughout the day. She rarely turns on the heating, as food prices and energy bills continue to soar.
Speaking to ITV News, she admitted: “Unless I really have to, I’ll eat. But I fill myself up with tea and coffee in the daytime. I would like the children to eat, and if they leave any leftovers, I tend to have the leftovers.
"It just makes me sad. It breaks my heart. Christmas is looking sad for me. I can't afford Christmas."
The family have been receiving help from Action for Children, a charity that supports vulnerable families across the UK.
Former TV personality Lydia Bright campaigns for the charity and says more needs to be done. She told ITV: "It's important for us to open our eyes to the problems that are happening on our doorstep.
"Sometimes when we think of poverty we don't always think it's happening in our country but child poverty is so prominent now more than ever and it's heartbreaking that it's happening here."
Victoria has also resorted to visiting her local community pantry in an effort to help feed her family. Volunteers at the centre say they are regularly shocked by the level of poverty they're seeing.
One said: "People are really living hand to mouth at the moment, for many of our families. It's not just those on benefits anymore, it's families in work. We've got one mum that holds down three jobs and she's still worried about feeding her children."
A recent Action for Children survey found that 98% of parents were worried about money whilst 22% of working parents fear they won't be able to buy their loved ones any Christmas presents this year.
It also found that 21% of children in the Southwest will offer their gifts or pocket money to help cover the cost of the festive season.
Helen Stockwell, who works for the charity says she's never seen anything like it. She said: "I have families who can't get coats for the children and can't afford to keep their children warm. People are genuinely worried really worried about what's coming."
It comes as thousands of people in need across Ireland have been offered a free Christmas dinner amid the cost of living crisis.
The Knights of St. Columbanus Christmas day dinner at RDS in Dublin is the biggest free meal in Ireland on Christmas day for the homeless, poor, and needy. Over 4,000 takeaway meals will be provided and 550 guests served by over 300 volunteers.
The demand for takeaway dinners has increased significantly from 1,200 in 2012 to 3,500 in 2019, reflecting the difficulties experienced by families and the poor.
Organisers said: "The need for takeaway dinners is increasing every year reflecting the difficulties experienced by the community in these serious economic conditions, especially nowadays if we consider how families are affected by the energy bills price, which is becoming more and more expensive."
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